What We Can Do Without

The children who come to the center on the university campus are from different countries around the world. Many of their parents are studying in the United States, leaving friends and familiarity to be together.

"It's amazing,"one parent tells Sarah, one of the teachers.

"These kids do so well with so many different backgrounds. You must have six different languages in this room."

"My theory is that it works because there is one language that none of the children know very well yet," Sarah replies.

"What's that?" the parent asks.

Sarah answered: "Prejudice."

(Source: For the Love of Children Daily Affirmations for People Who Care for Children.

by Jean Steiner and Mary Steiner Whelan)

Activity Idea: Top Ten Lists

Create Top Ten Music Lists

Materials Needed:
CD player and CDs (with headphones if possible)
Wide variety of different types of music (screen ahead of time for appropriateness)
Comfortable places to sit (large pillows, beanbags, rugs, etc)
Paper and pens
Posterboard and markers

Create a comfortable area where children can sit and listen to music. Invite children to visit the area regularly to listen to a wide variety of different types of music. Point out that music can communicate many different feelings and moods. Also, point out that the same music can communicate different things to different people. As children visit the area each day to listen to music, have them build individual lists of the music they really like a lot-music that really speaks to them. Encourage children to rank the music on their lists from 1 to 10, with 1 being their facorite piece of music or theme song. Have each child transfer his/her list to posterboard and write a brief description of why he/she likes each piece on the list. Display the posters in the quiet listening area to encourage others to check out the music on the Top Ten Lists.

Note: Younger children may want to come up with a word, a phrase or even a drawing to describe each piece of music on their lists rather than writing full descriptions.

(Source: Communication Connection 100+ activities by Roberta Newman)

**A variation on this activity would be to have children listen to music and vote or rate what their favorite to least favorite songs are. Post it. Let children discuss what appeals to them, or what they do not like about certain music.

Question of the Day: Help! How Do I stop children from hitting each other?

Question: How do I handle a group of children in my program that constantly forget to keep their hands to themselves?



We found a good answer to this question in the book Conscious Discipline by Dr. Becky A. Bailey
(Page 176)
Answer: Dr. Bailey says that children convey their wants and their needs through their actions.
They hit and grab to get what they want. We can help children by teaching them to use words.


In the situation where one child hits another on the head with a pencil, Dr. Bailey walks us through six steps to help the child use words instead of actions:

Step 1: Since we do not actually know what a child's motives are, we might as well assume that it is positive. So the first thing we should do is state the child's positive intent by completing this sentence, "You wanted _____." This builds security and cooperation.
So we might say, "You wanted Cameron to look at you."

Step 2: Without making judgements, describe the child's actions by completing the sentence,
"So you _____." This builds consciousness.
So we might say, " You wanted Cameron to look at you, so you thumped him on the head with a pencil."

Step 3: Give the child the benefit of the doubt. We might say, "You did not know the words to use to_____." or " You didn't know how to _____ without being hurtful." This defines the child as a good person who made a mistake.
You might say, "You didn't know what else to do to get Cameron's attention." This builds self-esteem.

Step 4: State the limit and why it is needed. This gives the child a clear boundary of what is not acceptable. Say, "You may not ___ ! It hurts."
You might reiterate, "You may not hit Cameron with the pencil. It hurts."

Step 5: Teach the child what should be done in that situation. Help the child practice the words needed. To teach the child a new course of action, use the following words:
"When you want ____, say (or do) ____. Say or (do it) now."
Tell the child, "When you want Cameron to look at you, say: Hey Cameron, look here. Try it now."

Step 6: Encourage the child for being willing to try a different approach. If possible, point out how the new approach has proved successful.
You might say, "You did it! Cameron is looking right at you."

The SAC Lunch Book Giveaway

May 2009
It is our pleasure to offer the 1st SAC Lunch resource book giveaway.

Your participation is needed.

For the next two weeks, anyone that drops us a SAC comment, asks us a SAC question, shares a SAC tip or story with us will be eligible to win a great resource book.

Once you participate in the comments section, your name/site name that you provide will be added to a drawing and a winner will be selected at random.


This is a fun and easy way to build your resource library while you help us with your valuable feedback and input.